Intertwining Faith
by Sand-Jounin-Temari
Summary: LJ Community 50 Shinobi Prompt Challenge. Chapter 9: Bingo Book ShikaTema XD
1. Flirt

_Written for the LJ community- 50 shinobi._

**~No. 30/Flirt~**

With an exaggerated sway of her hips, the blonde kunoichi glided along the streets of Konoha with her head held high.

As usual, Shikamaru would stray a few metres behind, taking in the sight he was now accustomed to. She was truly remarkable with all her perfect curves. And even though she told him she only wore that black dress to stop men staring at her twenty-four/seven, he didn't understand it. He could see everything perfectly fine. He blamed her for it though. If she hadn't said anything to him, he probably wouldn't have bothered looking. The thing about Temari was that she could flirt without opening her mouth.

She could flirt without even looking at him.

Sighing, Shikamaru couldn't help but remember how he spent the last two hours; Sitting at the table in some expensive restaurant she had dragged him to, her leg would touch his own every so slightly every 15 minutes.

Just a simple brush, nothing too serious but it was enough to make him gulp down whatever food was currently blocking his air pipe.

When she _did_ make eye contact, she would hold it for just a second... and then look away in the complete opposite direction and he would spend the rest of the day trying to catch her attention again.

It was far too troublesome for his liking.

Could all women flirt like that?

That answer died somewhere in his head when she turned on him, teal eyes piercing his own. The smirk that graced her lips was fleeting but he could still see the edges of her mouth struggling to stay straight.

"You know Shikamaru, you should take a picture," she laughed, rolling her eyes. "You're a _terrible_ flirt." The sway of her hips continued on and his eyes were glued again.

Yup, Temari definitely knew how to flirt...

**~End~**

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_Next chapter: No.41/Rivals_


	2. Rivals

_Written for the LJ Community 50 Shinobi Challenge. Thanks to the lovesrainscent and hakuisagirl for reviewing the first chapter!_

**~No.41/Rivals~**

She is _evil_. She is the essence of everything he _hates_. She is _cruel_. She is _heartless_. She is his _rival_.

Every time she comes to Konoha, he whips out his shogi board and challenges her to a game. He wins most of the time, but the games that she actually manages to dominate, she does not boast; just extends her hand over the table with a faint smile on her face.

"Good game."

He would have preferred it if she had boasted out loud that she had won. At least then, he wouldn't feel as humiliated.

She is good.

And he _hates_ her. He _hates_ when she wins. He _hates_ the way her eyes light up with happiness. He _hates_ the way she leans over the table in concentration, examining the board for any openings she might have missed. He _hates _the way her usually hard teal eyes soften in the morning light when she wakes up in his bed, looking around the room for her clothes. He _hates _the way her body fits perfectly into his like a puzzle.

He knows the reason she wins every now and again. He is too busy staring at her.

She is his _rival_, and by Kami he loves it.

**~End~**

_Next Chapter: hmm.. I don't actually know yet :P_


	3. Dreams

Written for the LJ Community 50 Shinobi prompt thingy. **This chapter** is rated** M** for safety so don't read if your sensitive to a **light Lemon!!**

**~No.18/Dreams~**

_The light fades to grey and the sky darkens in the surrounding area. Her hands feel around until she realises where she is at last. The soft cotton beneath her fingers sends shivers of longing up her spine. As she bends over the bed, she feels cool hands guiding her. _

_She shudders in his firm grip as he gently lowers her onto the sheets as if she might break if he's too rough. She growls in frustration as he takes his time, pulling out each of her ponytails one by one in an agonising slow pace. His hands travel up her legs until they rest on her hips tracing smooth circles on bear skin. _

_She whimpers involuntarily. She doesn't want to boost his ego any more. _

_Staring at the dark ceiling, she can't make out much except for the distinguished light bulb and the spiky hair that's one shade darker than the sky outside. She feels his body mold into hers before he removes her clothing, piece by piece. She is moving beneath him, trying to take control but he won't let her. Everything happens so fast that she can't tell who's limbs are who's. Before she can even catch her breath, she can feel him inside of her. _

_Before she can even make a sound...._ She wakes up_._

Sighing to herself, she moves angrily in her bed, trying to find the warmth of her dream. What surprises her even more is the fact that there's a huge lump beside her, snuggling into her sheets like they are his life line. His hand is laying brazenly on her bare chest and further inspection tells her that he is naked too.

His brown spikey hair is no longer in its ponytail but strewn around his face. She turns to face his sleeping figure and traces little circles on his cheek and arms. She sighs contently.

This is better than any dream.

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_Please let me know what you think? Thank you to all who have reviewed so far!_


	4. Ink Blotch

_Hey there. First of all I'd like to say, please don't ask how I managed to get this drabble out of the prompt. Ink Blotch? How in the name of Kami did I get this idea? I suppose I'll never know..  
Disclaimer: OWNAGE NO JUTSU!! I now own Naruto.. Too bad it's a genjutsu... Damn illusions..._

_**Ink Blotch**_

**_XxXxXxX_**

Flowers are like people, according to one Yamanaka Ino. There are a variety, each with a different colour and texture and each with a story of their own. A flower blooms, becoming stronger and taller but as it ages, it weakens and withers, losing all of its precious petals.

"You can wait outside Shikamaru," said Ino, a friendly and somewhat frightening smile on her face as she pointed to his living room while she and Temari stood just beyond the kitchen door. Shikamaru sighed; he knew this day would come eventually.

Though he and Ino had their differences, there was no one more loyal when it came to her friends. She wanted to make sure that Temari was a suitable match for him. Not that that was a bad thing. It was just both of the most troublesome women in his life were under the same roof at this very moment and that was never a good sign.

He felt like his panic button had just been pushed and he ended up pacing the room for the agonising 34 minutes and 29 seconds that he was made wait outside. Ino emerged from behind the door first, head held high and a dazzling smile on her face. Temari followed soon after, a slightly dazed but confident smirk of her own.

Ino didn't say anything when she sat down on the opposite sofa, just across from Shikamaru while Temari sat next to him. He took her hand in his, waiting for Ino's verdict. Even though he didn't like to admit it, Ino was usually right when it came to girls he dated.

She kept records; he had seen them.

Shiho was marked with a large X because she was _boring, obnoxious and has a lousy sense of humour_. Things didn't last long with Shiho for the stated reasons. Another girl he had taken a liking to a little over a year ago named Yumi had come around to meet Ino one summer Friday afternoon. The poor girl left shaking in her boots. She was apparently _annoying and over-bearing with great fashion sense_. He didn't really understand the last one-or rather why Ino marked it down as a bad thing. Maybe she didn't want any competition? Ino handed him the newest entry to the records with Temari's name printed in bold writing on the front. He opened it slowly and Temari watched him over his shoulder.

There was a small sentence, not the paragraphs she usually wrote. He took that as a good sign. Temari smiled when she read it, one of her real smiles that showed she was satisfied.

"Damn straight," she mumbled, kissing his cheek lightly.

_"You will never find a flower as rare."_

* * *

I know, I know. You're thinking "WTF?"

I've been thinking that for a while now. I don't know where this idea came from or how I extracted that from the prompt... *sigh* Time to take another sanity test.. I think I'll fail this time :] Oh, and the disclaimer was kidnapped from a really great story I read the other day and can't remember the name of. If you're out there, thumbs up! I thought it was funny ^_^

Please review??


	5. Inner Demons

_I was going for imagery in this one so I hope that comes across clear!_

**Inner Demons/No. 4**

**XxXxXxXxX**

Twilight is the time of day when the sun is just below the horizon. The sun sets and illuminates the closeness of the sky and earth. Its rays are refracted by the atmosphere and beautiful colours mix with emotion and longing. Orange and yellow with a hint of pink and green. Two figures; a man and a woman, face each other a fair distance away and a curious smile adorning their faces – one pale and one tanned.

The moon raises higher and higher showing that twilight has passed. The night has set in and the owl hoots in the background. The light from the bright orb in the sky shines radiant, illuminating the surrounding trees and forest area. The two companions sit close together on a dirty log on the side of a clearing and talk amiably about the old days, when things were slightly less complicated.

The moon becomes blocked out by tall trees and dark clouds. The night becomes silent and the owl stops its song to listen to the stillness. Nothing is heard except the faint steps coming closer and closer and the owls eyes widen in confusion; It has never seen such a thing. The two figures are intertwined mentally, staring at each other. It is far more intimate than embracing. The Suna Kunoichi's patience is far thinner than that of the male Konoha-nin and it is she who closes the distance.

The light of the horizon finally returns but far too soon in their youthful eyes. The half way mark between their homes, Suna and Konoha, is a metaphor for the line where they must stop. The owl has disappeared to feed its young, its song now complete until the new moon. The tanned female stands from her place in his arms and packs the things that she discarded a few hours beforehand. The pale faced shinobi stands with his hands in his pockets and watches as her figure disappears on the horizon of the rising sun. Both understand that this - whatever it is - can't keep happening but even so, she turns before she is out of ear shot and flashes him her smile.

"Until Twilight," and he turns with peace of mind, back to his home until the sun begins to set once again.

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_Again, I've no idea where or how this came from the prompt. Maybe, seeing each other again will cause battling with their inner demons i.e their loyalty to their villages. Just a theory. I'd be happy to hear what you think!_

_Sand-Jounin-Temari_


	6. Your Precious Somone

_Another little drabble. Please don't ask where the hell this idea came from. I'm trying to figure that much out for myself :] I'm in a bad mood at the moment so please forgive me if this reflected on that.  
_

**Your precious someone/No.5**

**XxXxXxXxX**

Temari knew she was attractive; that was not something to be reconsidered. She knew how to flaunt what she had, perfect curves and an hourglass figure. She felt certain that when she wore her hair in little ringlets, the boys of Konohagakure no Sato would stop to stare unashamed of themselves.

She discerned that when she wore that skimpy red dress, the most gentle of men would get a nose bleed and when she added that extra sway to her hips, a blind man would stare at her retreating figure.

There was one thing that Temari didn't know.

After an excrutiating long day of meetings and the usual nonsense she had to endure as the Ambassador for Suna, she would return to her apartment and change into her full length bubble gum pink pyjamas and let her hair cascade to her shoulders, not caring when it turned at extremely odd angles and knotted in random patterns. She would make herself comfortable by wrapping up in some blankets and turning on some sappy romance film that she had seen more than a hundred times.

Shikamaru would call over later during the night with some hot chocolate and she would welcome him, not bothering to change into more suitable attire. That was when he thought her to be the most attractive and enticing. She didn't attempt to look like the dutiful Kunoichi she was born to be; she didn't try to keep up good relations with the civilians. Instead, she was just Temari.

And that was what he loved the most.

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_This is the part where you click that little green button over there and tell me whether or not this sucked :] I'm being awfully blunt today, aren't I? Sorry about that! Some feedback would be greatly appreciated. I'd love to know where I messed up so I can get better. Thanks for reading!_

_p.s When I'm not in a bad mood, I think I'll re-write this again. I'm not really happy with it.  
_


	7. Hokage or Kages

_Written for the LJ Community 50 shinobi prompt challenge. Sorry it took so long. Major writers block. I also apologise for the spacing of each paragraph. It looks odd but it had to be done.  
_

**No. 8/ Hokage(or any other Kages).**

**XxXxXxX**

When Tsunade died, someone had to take over her duty as Hokage. Since Naruto still wasn't ready, the task was handed to a very grumpy and disgruntled Shikamaru who was dragged to the Hokage building by his ear. He sat behind the desk, the uncomfortable robes in a pile on the floor as he watched the stack of paperwork grow and grow. Sakura berated him every time she entered the room with a cup of coffee; she was now the Hokage's assistant. A shorter pile sat in the corner of the room, all addressed to the Hokage of Konohagakure. One stood out in particular because it was from an old friend of his.

Three days away in Sunagakure No Sato, the great village of the Wind Country, Sabaku No Temari was thrown over her younger brother's shoulder, his purple paint rubbing off her white robes. It had been a few weeks since Gaara died and someone needed to take over his role as Kazekage; that someone happened to be his older sister. Kankurou ignored her complaints and protests as she kicked and screamed, trying desperately to get away from him. She didn't want to be Kazekage. It reminded her too much of what she had lost. She was dumped in a chair in the middle of the Kazekage's office and was told by the village elders to get started on some paperwork. Instead, she found a spare sheet of paper and wrote a very short but detailed message to an old friend.

Four days later, the Hokage of Konohagakure No Sato and the Kazekage of Sunagakure No Sato were deemed missing. The biggest search party in history was gathered together but they never found any traces of their leaders. One day, a few months after the incident, both Sabaku No Kankurou and Akimichi Chouji received a letter. A small sad smile tugged at the corner of their lips and they burned the letter as soon as they were done reading.

Ten years later Nara Shikamaru and Nara Temari returned to each nation in turn with their children in tow and a happy, honest smile on their faces.

* * *

_I honestly think it would be horrible to be Hokage/Kazekage. Can you imagine all the things you would miss out on? Like a family, love, friendship and whatnot. Enough ranting..._

_OK this is completely suckish. I actually can't believe I'm posting this... Oh well, your reviews, hate mail, flames and/or death threats are all welcomed. I'm sorry that this was uberly suckish.. Damn plot bunnies have gone and jumbled up my brain..._


	8. Bandage

_For those of you that have been reading my other stories, you will see that my writing has been very depressing lately and a lot darker. I can't say I'm happy with that fact because I love happy stories (minus fluff of course). So to those of you that haven't read any of my stories before, please beware._

_P.s A major comparison for one of the anime/manga chapters. I think it's number 86 (in the anime) but I'm not too sure. It's not really a spoiler but more of a nostalgic feeling if you get what I mean.. Probably not.  
I don't own Naruto by the way. If I did, Shikamaru and Temari would have major butt kicking ninja babies with pineapple shaped hair :P_

**Bandage/No.6**

Her jaw is locked tight, firm against her sharp cheek bones. Her hands are curled into balls by her sides and they shake with each breath she takes. Her heart is pounding in her chest and she marvels at how it can still beat so fervently when she just wants to lie down and die. Tsunade looks at her with uneasy eyes but doesn't offer any consoling words.

She has seen that expression in the mirror so many times before.

Tsunade dismisses her without another word and Temari finds her guide standing outside the Hokage's office with his hands buried in his pockets. He has obviously heard what had transpired inside moments ago between her and the Hokage. He looks into her eyes once and sees that her pulse is throbbing in her neck, her hands are clenched around the fabric of her kimono and she's shaking with the effort.

He takes her wrist and she doesn't fight him off. She can't bring herself to care. He leads her to the Nara Compound, a place that she's never been before. She barely registers his parents' confused gazes on both of them as he leads her out into the garden and towards a room that extends off of the main house. Inside is a Shogi board and he guides her to the seat in front of it.

He sets up the pieces one by one and takes extra care in placing them in their rightful places.

And then he sits back and waits.

It takes three quarters of an hour before she realises where she is but her body remains rigid. Paintings of deer adorn the walls and a few candles lie in the borders. The room has a faint orange glow but the shadows are long.

"Let it out," he says, looking straight at her and her eyes snap towards him. He has never seen them so empty before. "Let it all out. Let every feeling and emotion out because it will eat at you if you don't. You need to get it out there and hear your own words as you cry. And when you're done, you need to pull yourself together and be strong for Kankurou. He won't be able to get through this without you."

She does as he asks and hears the raw emotion tearing from her throat. She hears the cries of agony and pain that sweeps through her body and she hears the anguish that almost tears her apart. She feels the tears spilling from her eyes and she can feel her arms tightening around herself, trying to keep herself from falling to more shattered pieces than she already is.

When she is done and the tears have subsided, she looks around the room. Shikamaru isn't there but she can see his silhouette outside, sitting down as he waits patiently. The Shogi board is on the floor sliced in two halves and the pieces are scattered everywhere. She cleans herself up and wipes the few stray tears before exiting the small room and joining her guide outside.

He doesn't say anything and she is thankful.

She will carry on her business here and when she returns to Suna, she will be there for her only remaining brother.

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_O_O I think I've gone crazy. WHAT FRIGGIN' POSSESSED ME TO RIGHT THIS?! I think I need psychiatric help to be honest.... Ugh.. First I kill off Gaara in the LJ Community Challenge, then I kill Shikamaru in the Ipod Shuffle Challenge and now I kill Gaara again?! Anyway, please review. As you can probably tell if you've been reading/watching Naruto, this is the same as when Shikamaru lost the plot when Asuma died and his father told him to let it out... *sniffle* Poor Shikamaru-kun...  
_

_P.s I give full permission for the rabid Gaara fangirls to sneak in at night and kill me in my sleep. I apologise for killing off the uberly cool Kazekage..._


	9. Bingo Book

_Written for the LJ Community 50 shinobi prompt challenge. In this drabble, I honestly don't know where my imagination led me. It goes from talking about one topic to the next in the blink of an eye and probably doesn't make sense. But as it is, the prompts were not designed to make sense but to see what you would think of from reading the prompt. And this is what I thought of. Enjoy!_  
**I BEG YOU TO VOTE ON THE POLL ON MY PAGE.**

**Bingo Book/ No. 16**

**XxXxXxXxX**

Flicking through the pages of the old dusty book, Shikamaru sighed for what felt like the thousandth time. The library was farely empty except for a couple of medics in the corner and Sai was sitting a few tables away, scanning through the latest copy of "Getting to know your emotions and the impact they have on the people around you." The lamp to his right let out a faint dull yellow glow and he could see the dust moving about the air with every breath he took.

Glancing again at the book beneath him, he was reminded of why he sat here in the first place. The stupid Jounin exams were coming up and there was a written exam on the contents of the bingo book. Stupid Lady Tsunade had ordered him to study. He tried to do it in his spare time but the clouds usually distracted him and when he did it in his bedroom, his mother took advantage of the fact that he was home and not out on missions by making him do tons of housework. He was better off at the library although the faint murmuring the background was more annoying than someone screaming in his ear. He sighed again and caught the glare the librarian sent his way.

He turned the next page in the book, looking down at a familiar face. Hidan. He let out a disgusted sound. There was a large_ 'X'_ over his face and "dead" written on top of his picture. Technically, that wasn't true but not many people knew that. Tsunade and some of the people that were on the mission with him were the ones he told. Ino had nearly gotten sick when he told her that there was a head buried on the Nara grounds. She had yet to set foot on the grass and she didn't plan on doing so anytime soon. The details of Hidan were actually written by Shikamaru. Tsunade had handed him an A4 page and told him to write down everything he knew about the immortal Akatsuki member. Memories of Asuma passed through his mind and he quickly turned the page. There was no need for those memories when his legacy was still living on in the form of a miniature Sarutobi with piercing red eyes and dark brown hair.

The next page held some shinobi from Sunagakure. He was deemed a missing nin a few years ago but was never caught. It didn't seem to matter much because if what his sources told him was true, he was never seen again and has never attempted any unlawful deed. He turned the page after memorising the shinobi's name only to find the one and only Sabaku no Temari staring back at him with a playful smirk. Her hair was in its usual fashion and even in the glossy photograph that was printed on the page, he could still see her sharp teal eyes as though daring him to say something stupid. He smirked to himself, the same lopsided smirk that he was infamous for. There were plenty of details about the Suna Kunoichi, none of which he had contributed to.

_Gender: Female  
Affiliation with Sunagakure No Sato, Land of Wind.  
Current Rank: Jounin.  
Sister of Sabaku No Gaara and Sabaku No Kankurou. Daughter of 4th Kazekage.  
Team: Team Baki  
Blood Type: O  
Occupation: Chunin Examiner and Strategist  
Birth date: August 23  
Height: 165 cm  
Weight: 47.9 kg  
Elemental chakra: Wind  
Summon: Kamatari, weasel._

He knew most of those details but there were some things that he didn't know and rather why they were in the bingo book in the first place. She apparently loves strawberries and has a fear of cats. He chuckled to himself, earning a disapproving scowl from the librarian. Closing the book once more, he put it back on its rightful shelf before leaving the old building. He wondered if maybe there was time for a vacation before the jounin exams. It would be nice to visit Sunagakure; He hadn't visited in a while. And maybe his mother could whip up a batch of fresh strawberries before he left.

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_Yes, Yes, I know. I'm thinking the same. "WTF?!" but that's besides the point. I don't know why but I get the feeling that Temari would be more of a dog person, love strawberries and hate tomatoes. Please don't ask where that came from but ever since I first saw her character, those were the traits that came to me :P _

_Please review to tell me what you thought and vote in the poll on my page? Thanks for reading.  
_


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